Rear suspension on the AT

[MrKiwi]

So far I have found the factory suspension to be OK, but I have not yet ridden two up fully loaded with gear. I've ridden two up, but just day trips.


For those of you who have ridden two up with gear, how have you found the rear suspension?  Up to your requirements or are they operating near their limits when two up with gear?

[zebulon]

17 000 kils done here from mid April to November; most of them with pillon (you know her  ) and full luggages and most of them on small winding alpine roads ... Never been to the limit of the suspension, but still not a pilot 

[MrKiwi]

Thanks zebulon. Appreciate the feedback. A good friend of mine owns a silver manual AT and he and his wife toured the South Island loaded with gear. It was a 21 one day trip on a wide range of roads. I was talking with him recently as they had the bike up at its maximum loaded rating. He said the bike performed very well.

I asked the question here, because on another forum the rear suspension has come in for criticism.  Personally, I've found my AT to be fine but I have not traveled any distance two up with gear yet.

See you again in June and we can talk more. I've bought my tickets and will arrive at my European agent's place a few days prior to departure to VIM     

[MrKiwi]

6,000km on my AT including one long distance trip with me and gear.


My general conclusions are the front suspension is OK for my riding, but the rear is too light. The main reasons for this are:

   
• the max recommended load for passenger and luggage is 194 kg and I need this to go to 220kg. Being of generous size, when we are riding two up the rear is already loaded to 190 kg.
• To get the rear running with the capacity I need, I need to use a heavier weight spring. I have also decided to over spec the rebound and compression capabilities of the suspension.

So I have opted to purchase Ohlins. I've not used Ohlins before, so will be interesting to see how this goes. The bike will have the new shock fitted in July after I get back from VIM 19.


I am also replacing the rear bracket with a stainless steel replacement - see this thread (it is an interesting aftermarket development) - http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/africa-twins-only-crf1000-engineered-enhancements.1171785/page-10


Go to post #184.

[Djairouks]

Common complain I've read indeed, is the forks and rear are undersprung, but this was always from US guys that might be double my size and reading their threads, I was still thinking most seemed like a bit of I know better than Honda and I'm a pilot kind of people, I take the bike to the limit etc.

Some people's claims seemed ridiculous, I tried to pack all my heavy gear, so camping stuff and photographic material, the 2 OEM Honda paniers were full, I weighed them and overal it was 22 Kg, then my clothes 82L dry bag was maybe 5 Kg, just need to buy an air matress but it shouldn't be more than 3Kg, so everything 30 Kg, I dont see how they would go far over the 194 Kg without having Led on the saddle or obviously be obese.

My forks and rear are all stock by the way !

[MrKiwi]

One up with gear the bike is fine in my view. Two up with gear depends. I'm big at 125 kg by myself so I soak up a lot of the slack.

[Djairouks]

6,000km on my AT including one long distance trip with me and gear.


My general conclusions are the front suspension is OK for my riding, but the rear is too light. The main reasons for this are:

   
• the max recommended load for passenger and luggage is 194 kg and I need this to go to 220kg. Being of generous size, when we are riding two up the rear is already loaded to 190 kg.
• To get the rear running with the capacity I need, I need to use a heavier weight spring. I have also decided to over spec the rebound and compression capabilities of the suspension.

So I have opted to purchase Ohlins. I've not used Ohlins before, so will be interesting to see how this goes. The bike will have the new shock fitted in July after I get back from VIM 19.


I am also replacing the rear bracket with a stainless steel replacement - see this thread (it is an interesting aftermarket development) - http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/africa-twins-only-crf1000-engineered-enhancements.1171785/page-10


Go to post #184.

After my trip to Norway, I had a little issue and would like your feel on the öhlins rear shock !
On the way down I wanted to go through Germany fast, I realized that fully loaded the AT would not be stable around 140Km/h, part of it was my bags on the saddle creating turbulences it seems, but after trying to put the rear adjustment to maximum, I would still no go above 170Km/h, I did try 200 and got a very bad handlebar side wobble to the limit of crashing the bike !!!

Also it's extremely difficult to crank that adjustment with the bike loaded, I needed 2 hands and barely could go to about 36 clicks, so is this better with the öhlins !?

[meine dicke]

People from Switzerland shouldn´t go fast in Germany.
They´ll get a speed noise and once back at Switerland a prison sentence 

[zebulon]

certainly speak about that elsewhere; have changed the rear spring (for an handful of €uros ) with a Hyperpro; have choosen the +10; thought the rear shock was a little bit limited for 2 whith luggages ... really happy with this cheap change. they now make 2 version of complete shock for the AT; think it can be a valuable choice ! 

[MrKiwi]

6,000km on my AT including one long distance trip with me and gear.


My general conclusions are the front suspension is OK for my riding, but the rear is too light. The main reasons for this are:

   
• the max recommended load for passenger and luggage is 194 kg and I need this to go to 220kg. Being of generous size, when we are riding two up the rear is already loaded to 190 kg.
• To get the rear running with the capacity I need, I need to use a heavier weight spring. I have also decided to over spec the rebound and compression capabilities of the suspension.

So I have opted to purchase Ohlins. I've not used Ohlins before, so will be interesting to see how this goes. The bike will have the new shock fitted in July after I get back from VIM 19.


I am also replacing the rear bracket with a stainless steel replacement - see this thread (it is an interesting aftermarket development) - http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/africa-twins-only-crf1000-engineered-enhancements.1171785/page-10


Go to post #184.

After my trip to Norway, I had a little issue and would like your feel on the öhlins rear shock !
On the way down I wanted to go through Germany fast, I realized that fully loaded the AT would not be stable around 140Km/h, part of it was my bags on the saddle creating turbulences it seems, but after trying to put the rear adjustment to maximum, I would still no go above 170Km/h, I did try 200 and got a very bad handlebar side wobble to the limit of crashing the bike !!!

Also it's extremely difficult to crank that adjustment with the bike loaded, I needed 2 hands and barely could go to about 36 clicks, so is this better with the öhlins !?

Firstly, when changing pre-load I always out the bike on its centre stand to unload the rear wheel. No matter what rear shock you have, chaging pre0load when the bike is weighted up is harder than when it is not.

I have done a few miles (no I am not going to use the term kilometerage) on the bike now and all I can say is I am absolutely delighted with the investment. The rear end remains planted and stable on tarmac and gravel loaded and unloaded. I have plenty of adjustment and when loaded their is now only minimal rear sag. The suspension remains supple when loaded up and is not harsh.

Cheers...

[Djairouks]

Firstly, when changing pre-load I always out the bike on its centre stand to unload the rear wheel. No matter what rear shock you have, chaging pre0load when the bike is weighted up is harder than when it is not.

I have done a few miles (no I am not going to use the term kilometerage) on the bike now and all I can say is I am absolutely delighted with the investment. The rear end remains planted and stable on tarmac and gravel loaded and unloaded. I have plenty of adjustment and when loaded their is now only minimal rear sag. The suspension remains supple when loaded up and is not harsh.

Cheers...

I realized that doing this unloaded on the centre stand is easier, the issue is when I realized I needed to do that I was already on the german highway with all bagages... so I didn't want to unload everything, still having to almost max the rear for about 40Kg this seems ridiculous.

I'm surprised no one talks about their handlebars wobbling at higher speeds, what is strange is it seems to me this only happened with other tyres than the OEMs, though I swapped them after 2 weeks of having the bike ! I thought of adding a steering damper, but it would just mask the problem not solve it.

I like to work on my bike and with my technical background it's no problem, however I don't know if I'm well equipped to swap the shock or spring myself, did you guys go through your Honda mechanics or do it yourselves !?

[zebulon]

Sure I 've found tuto to change the spring , so changing the shock is not a hard job.. I'll share later